Amit, Ranola split Women's World 10-Ball assignments

Rubilen Amit and Iris Ranola split their respective Thursday assignments in the penultimate day of the group stage of the 2011 Women's World 10-Ball Championship at the Robinson's Galleria Mall in Pasig City. Amit, the 2009 champion of the event, and Ranola both lost their evening matches to drop their group stage matches for the first time in the tournament. Amit beat qualifier Jing Wu of China, 6-4, in her morning match but bowed to Monica Webb of the United States, 6-3, in the evening as she failed to grab an outright spot in the Group 1 knockout stages. Ranola, on the other hand, had the same route as she survived qualifier in H.C. Lin of Chinese Taipei, 6-5, but lost to Group 2 leader Mary Rakin of United States, 6-4, in their evening affair. The 30-year-old Amit, holding a 3-1 win-loss record in Group 1, faces defending champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria in the final day of the preliminaries on Friday. Ranola, meanwhile, has two matches slated on Friday as she takes on Anastasia Necheava of Russia and Hua Shan Lai of Chinese Taipei. Amit and Ranola, the only Philippine bets to earn berths in the world tilt, hope to grab a place in the knockout stages with a win on Friday. — Reuben Terrado/JVP, GMA News